--- title: "Mental Health Support Through Your GP in the Netherlands | HeyDoc" description: "How to access mental health care via your GP in the Netherlands — from a chat with your huisarts to POH-GGZ to specialist therapy. What's covered, how long it takes, and what to expect." url: https://heydoc.nl/en/kennisbank/mental-health-support-via-your-gp-leiden lang: en source: heydoc.nl generated: 2026-05-03T09:33:27.555Z --- # Mental Health Support Through Your GP in the Netherlands Updated1 May 2026 How to access mental health care via your GP in the Netherlands — from a chat with your huisarts to POH-GGZ to specialist therapy. What's covered, how long it takes, and what to expect. # Mental Health Support Through Your GP in the Netherlands Mental health care in the Netherlands is integrated into the primary care system more deeply than in many countries. For most non-emergency mental health complaints, your GP is the entry point — and often, your GP can provide a meaningful part of the care directly. This guide explains how the system works, what's covered, and what to expect at each step. ## Start with your GP, not a specialist In the Netherlands, you do not self-refer to a psychologist, psychiatrist, or therapist for insurance-covered care. The pathway runs through your GP (huisarts), who: - Assesses your complaint - Provides initial advice and reassurance - Refers to the practice's POH-GGZ (mental health practitioner) for short-term counselling - Refers to specialised mental health care if needed - Continues monitoring during and after treatment You can pay out of pocket to see a psychologist privately without a GP referral, but most insurance reimbursement requires the GP route. ## What "starting with your GP" actually looks like A typical first contact: - You book a consultation (chat, video, or in-person) and indicate that it's about mental health - A 20-minute conversation with your GP about what's going on, how long, what triggered it, what you've tried - Your GP makes an initial assessment of severity and rules out medical contributors (thyroid, anaemia, sleep, medication side effects) - You discuss next steps together — could be self-help, POH-GGZ, medication, or specialist referral GPs in the Netherlands are trained in mental health screening and basic management. Most are comfortable with depression, anxiety, sleep problems, work stress, grief, relationship difficulties, and adjustment issues. For more complex presentations, they refer. ## POH-GGZ: short-term counselling at your GP practice Most GP practices have a**POH-GGZ**— a*Praktijkondersteuner Geestelijke Gezondheidszorg*, or mental health practitioner. This is a trained psychologist or psychiatric nurse who works at the GP practice and provides short-term, evidence-based interventions. **What POH-GGZ is good for:** - Mild to moderate depression - Anxiety, including specific worries and panic - Sleep problems - Burnout and work stress - Adjustment problems (after life events, relationship issues) - Grief - Brief CBT-style interventions - Bridging waiting lists for specialist care **What POH-GGZ is not good for:** - Severe or treatment-resistant depression - Bipolar disorder, psychosis - Trauma requiring specialised treatment (EMDR, trauma therapy) - Personality disorders requiring long-term therapy - Eating disorders - Severe substance abuse Sessions are typically 30–60 minutes, and you usually have 4–8 sessions over a few months.**POH-GGZ is fully covered**by Dutch basic insurance — no deductible, no copay, no separate billing. In Leiden, most practices have a POH-GGZ on the team. At HeyDoc, our POH-GGZ is integrated into the digital workflow so sessions can be done via video when in-person doesn't work. ## When the GP refers further For issues beyond what GP and POH-GGZ can handle, two main referral routes: **Generalistische Basis-GGZ (gBGGZ)** - Short-term specialised treatment, typically 5–12 sessions - Provided by psychologists in independent practices or small clinics - Treats moderate severity issues that need more than POH-GGZ - Covered by basic insurance, but**deductible (eigen risico) applies**— usually the first ~€385 of any specialist care year on year **Specialistische GGZ (sGGZ)** - Longer-term, more intensive treatment - For severe depression, anxiety disorders, PTSD, OCD, eating disorders, complex trauma, personality disorders, psychosis - Provided by clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, multi-disciplinary teams - Also covered by basic insurance with deductible Your GP writes the referral and indicates which level of care is needed. The therapist or clinic accepts (or sometimes redirects) based on the referral. ## Waiting lists — the unfortunate reality This is the painful part of the Dutch system.**Specialised mental health care often has long waiting lists**— three to nine months is not unusual for non-acute referrals, and some specific treatments (trauma, eating disorders, personality disorders) can have year-long waits. Several things can help: - **Use POH-GGZ in the meantime**— almost no waiting list, free, often genuinely useful - **Ask your insurer for waiting list mediation**— they have legal obligations to find you care within reasonable timeframes (Treeknormen) - **Consider self-pay options**— much faster, but obviously not free - **Online platforms**— like NiceDay, Mentaal Beter, OpenUp can sometimes start within weeks - **Crisis services**— if you're acutely unsafe, the GP can arrange same-day access via the regional crisis team If you're stuck on a waiting list and getting worse, tell your GP. They can advocate for faster access, suggest interim support, and reassess severity. ## What about medication? GPs prescribe most psychiatric medications, including: - Antidepressants (SSRIs, SNRIs, mirtazapine, etc.) - Anti-anxiety medications (short courses of benzodiazepines, hydroxyzine) - Sleep medications (when indicated, generally short term) - ADHD medications (in many cases, with specialist initiation) Stimulants (methylphenidate, dexamphetamine) for ADHD usually require specialist initiation or confirmation of an existing diagnosis, but ongoing prescriptions are typically managed by the GP afterward. If you've been on medication abroad and want to continue, bring your records. Most international prescriptions can be continued — sometimes with the same medication, sometimes with a Dutch-licensed equivalent. ## For internationals: practical specifics **English-language therapy is available.**In bigger cities including Leiden, you can find English-speaking psychologists in basis-GGZ and specialistische-GGZ. Tell your GP that English is essential when they write the referral. **Cultural fit matters.**Dutch therapy tends to be practical and directive (CBT-heavy, action-oriented). If you prefer a different approach (psychodynamic, narrative, culturally-specific), discuss this with your GP — referrals can be adjusted. **Confidentiality is strong.**Your GP will not report mental health visits to your employer, the IND, or your university. Records are protected by Dutch medical privacy law (Wgbo) which is among the strictest in Europe. **No out-of-pocket "first session fee".**Unlike some countries, you don't pay an initial assessment fee. POH-GGZ is free; basis-GGZ and specialistische-GGZ are covered (after deductible). **The system is built for residents, but reasonable for shorter stays.**If you're here for a year or two, the standard pathway works. For very short stays (a few months), self-pay therapy may be faster. ## How to talk to your GP about mental health Some practical tips: - **Be specific.**"I've been feeling anxious for three months, can't sleep, and it's affecting my work" is much more useful than "I'm not doing great." - **Mention what you've already tried.**Self-help, exercise, journaling, previous therapy abroad — context helps. - **Bring history if you have it.**Previous diagnoses, medications, what worked and what didn't. - **Don't downplay.**GPs work better with honest information. Saying "it's not that bad" when you're severely affected delays appropriate care. - **Ask about POH-GGZ specifically**if your GP doesn't mention it. Some default to immediate referral when POH-GGZ would be a better first step. - **It's okay to ask for medication or to refuse it.**Discuss preferences openly. ## In an acute crisis If you're in immediate danger to yourself or someone else: - **Call 112**for life-threatening emergencies - **Call 113 (Suicide Prevention)**in the Netherlands — 24/7, English available — or chat at 113.nl - **Go to the SEH (hospital emergency department)**— the on-call psychiatrist can be reached - **Call your GP's urgent line**— every practice has a same-day option for emergencies Don't wait through a normal triage queue if you're in crisis. Tell whoever you reach that it's urgent. ## At HeyDoc specifically Mental health support is part of normal primary care at HeyDoc. You can: - Send a chat message describing what you're experiencing — often the easiest first step - Book a video consultation if you'd rather talk face to face from home - Come in person if you prefer - Access POH-GGZ for follow-up sessions, in person or via video [Register as a patient](https://heydoc.nl/patient-worden?lang=en)or[contact us](https://heydoc.nl/contact)with questions before registering. --- *This article is general information, not a substitute for personal medical advice. If you're in crisis, please call 113 (English available) or 112.* --- Written by**HeyDoc**· HeyDoc GP practice, Leiden. This article is general information and does not replace a personal consultation. Questions?[Register with HeyDoc](https://heydoc.nl/patient-worden?lang=en)or[get in touch](https://heydoc.nl/contact).